That's Just How She Rolls
by M. Rouser
Summary: Allison Greenwald is the newest agent at the BAU. She starts to develop a close friendship with Dr. Spencer Reid that starts to look like more than just a friendship... and then Hotch gets in the way. Reid/OC & Hotch/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Allison Greenwald is the BAU's newest Agent. This is her story. She finds herself in a close relationship with Dr. Spencer Reid. It starts out of the friendship variety, but will it stay that way? How will Hotch feel about a couple developing within the BAU?**

I don't own Criminal Minds or any of its characters. This is my first Criminal Fanfic so please review, kind criticism is welcome.

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FBI Agent Allison Greenwald sat at her desk buried in paperwork. She had been with the Behavioral Analysis Unit almost a month and as much as she didn't want anything terrifying or tragic to happen, at the same time she was hoping a case might role in soon, the days of late had been nothing but boring lately. All she seemed to be doing for the past week and a half is write, record, and even do some extra-curricular research. She looked at her clock to see, to her relief, that one p.m. had rolled around and she could finally give herself the luxury of lunch. She stood up from her desk and went to fetch some water while pondering where she could go out to grab something delicious. On her way to the fridge she passed by Reid and Morgan discussing something by Morgan's desk. As she walked by, Morgan shot Allie a grin.

"But I bet you Ms. Greenwald here could tell you even more about it," he said to Reid.

Allie came to a stop, smiling back at Morgan. "Spreading rumors about me?" She asked Morgan playfully.

"Not exactly," Morgan replied. "Just trying to explain sports here to Reid. Today's topic is baseball, because it seemed to be the one he might appreciate the most. And I know you're the big fanatic around here."

Allie smiled to herself. "I am," she admitted, taking a comfortable spot leaning against the desk to include herself in the conversation. "Also," she added, "I was just about to head out to lunch, if either of you would like to join."

"Nah," Morgan said, "I ate a big breakfast, but Reid here was just talking about some new sandwich place down the street."

"Oh yeah?" Allie inquired.

Reid fumbled on a response, "Yeah… I heard about it from one of the guys on the 5th floor. It's supposed to be, you know, good."

Allie smiled at him. "Cool. Well, if you'd like to try it I'd head over with you. But if not that's fine."

"No," Reid jumped in. "That sounds good. I'll just… ah… get my coat and meet you back here?"

"Sounds like a plan," Allie replied. Spencer jumped up and headed back to his own desk. Allie shook her head and leaned it to talk to Derek. "Is it me?" She whispered. "Is there something about me that makes him uncomfortable or something?"

Derek just chuckled. "No, darling," he reassured her. "If anything it's just your pretty face. Reid doesn't have the best of social skills."

Allie felt a little flattered but also a little nervous. "Well," she said as Reid was approaching "Let's see if I can't crack him this afternoon…"

Morgan chuckled. "Good luck," he said softly, "have a good time, you two rascals," he said a little louder. Reid gave an awkward wave of the hand and Allie just shook her head and gave a smile back.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a brisk day in Quantico, but at least the sun was shining outside as Reid and Allie stepped outside. Allie took a deep breath in as they stepped outside and squinted in the sunshine. She snuck a peek over to Reid, who was also squinting and smoothing over his hair self-consciously. "So…" he said, attempting to start conversation. "How has your transition over the BAU been treating you?" He asked.

"Oh," Allie replied, "it's been pretty good overall. Ups and downs, you know. It's harder than I thought it would be, but the people make up for it. I really think I'm going to enjoy being a part of this team."

"Yeah," Reid agreed, "We all work well together." Allie nodded in agreement. There was something about hanging out with Reid. The two of them had never found anything great to talk about, but somehow Allie always enjoyed his company. She didn't know quite how he felt about her, but Reid sparked the ultimate curiosity in Allie. She was becoming determined to build a relationship between the two of them; she desired to be good friends. "It's been slow lately," Allie said to continue the conversation. "It makes it even harder for me to focus. All the desk time is making crazy. Especially because I have this new book I've been wanting to read, the newest Krakauer, you familiar?"

"Jon Krakauer?" Reid replied. "Of course, author of _Into the Wild_."

"Yeah, and _Into Thin Air_. That one's good too."

"That's the one about climbing Mount Everest, right?" Reid inquired.

"Mmmhmm," Allie said. "You could probably put that one back in like two hours, what with your I.Q. But it's a good read."

Reid smiled. "I think you overestimate my intelligence."

"Nope," Allie replied, "I probably underestimate it. But I think it would be a blast to walk through a bookstore with you, as long as you promised to talk to me and not just disappear into the books."

"I might be able to grace you with a glimpse into my mind," Reid replied playfully. "How about this, get the sandwiches to go, and then take the nearest Barnes and Noble by storm?"

Allie laughed. "Deal," she said. This was easier than she thought it would be. All Allie had to do was bring up some random topic and then Reid would go off. Sometimes she would have to reign in his thoughts a little, but for the most part it was enjoyable. They grabbed the sandwiches at the new place, which weren't quite as spectacular as 5th floor man had described, but they were good. What was better was Allie finding herself next to Reid on the floor of the History aisle in Barnes and Noble, surrounded by a pile of books that neither of them had any intention of buying.

The call came much too soon. Finally another case, this one in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where three teenage boys had all gone missing and found decapitated deep in rural areas outside of the town of Belle Fourche, a ranching town. Allie and Spencer had to cut their bookstore takeover short, but the day had not been completely lost. The two had already created a friendship, and one that neither of them had experienced before with a coworker. Reid found that he was at ease with Allie in a way different than with the other members of the team. This is itself was notable, but what was also notable was how quickly it happened. On the plane ride to South Dakota the two found themselves pouring over evidence, quietly discussing together, and sharing a laugh every now and again.

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**A/N: More is coming, I promise. It'll start a little slow but I have lots of writing stocked up. For now, please review! Let me know what you might like to see happen! Thanks for reading :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! After a busy weekend I am back to writing. Hope the latest updates don't disappoint.**

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Reid and Allison's friendship grew. They found themselves often working together, and working together well. Their personalities complimented each other well. As cases came in bouts, Allie became better with each one at falling in with the rhythm with the team and learning the ways of the BAU. She had gained the friendship of not only Spencer, but also J.J., Emily, and Morgan. She had gained the respect of the others, although she wasn't sure about Agent Hotchner. Allie was well aware of his reputation and personality. Her expectations weren't high, but she hadn't received any feedback at all from her new boss. She just assumed that no comment was better then criticism. She knew he easily had more going on in his life than just the BAU, having recently returned from leave because of the death of his ex-wife.

After almost four months since Allison's first case with the BAU, the team had found themselves in North Carolina. It had been a long six days. The current case had not been kind to Allie. Between the humidity and the lack of sleep, she was plagued by headaches and nausea. Despite this, Allie put all of her energy into the case, finding it more important than focusing on herself. The deaths of military men in the surrounding area of Camp Lejeune hit particularly close to home for her because of her brother serving in the Navy.

Reid noticed how weary and frustrated Allie seemed to be, but didn't want to press the issue because after all, the job and the case came first. But at the same time he caught himself looking at Allie longer than necessary sometimes, and felt a tug at his stomach wanting to be nearer to her when the moments could come. He didn't understand where the line fell, and he didn't understand what he was feeling, but he didn't have the time to ponder this too much. All he knew was that he was comfortable with Allie, in a way unlike anyone he had ever known.

As the team got to the bottom of things, the intensity increased and Garcia had finally locked in on a possible location of the unsub. They stormed into a secluded equipment shed and found him, along with mounds of evidence including his clothes bloody from the victims. Once the team was wheels up, Reid found Allie half-asleep, staring out the window as they ascended for their short flight back to Quantico. He slid into the seat next to her. "Hey…" he said softly.

She looked back at him and attempted an exhausted smile. "Hi," she responded quietly.

"How's the view?" He asked, pointing out the window.

"Boring," she replied, but still returning her gaze back to it.

"Listen," Reid continued. "I… uh… don't want to bother you. But I just wanted to make sure you were okay. It's been a long week, and I can tell you haven't really been yourself."

Allie breathed a heavy sigh. "Don't worry about it, Reid," she replied.

"But…" Reid hesitated "I do," he said meaningfully. He instantly felt his cheeks turn a little red.

His comment affected Allie and she turned to face him. She was touched. She gave him a more heartfelt smile. "I'm okay," she said. "I'm tired, haven't been feeling the greatest but really, I'm ok. And… thanks."

Reid nodded. "Do you mind… if I sit by you for the rest of the flight?"

"Since when do you have to ask?" Allie replied playfully.

Reid's heart lifted, glad to be able to keep an eye on her.

Allie put her gaze to back out the window, resting her head on the side of the plane to her right. Reid shifted his weight to get more comfortable and noticed her left hand lying limply by her side. Before he thought too much about it, he placed his hand on top of hers, and gave it a slight squeeze. Allie didn't give much response except a small smile which Reid noticed on her features, and then she adjusted her hand so their fingers intertwined. And that was how they remained for the rest of the flight.


	4. Chapter 4

Hotchner had not failed to notice the friendship blooming between Allie and Reid and knew it was good for the team. Because of the pair's camaraderie Allie began to settle in more as a member of the team, and Reid's spirits became lifted, especially considering the incident years earlier and his recovery from the narcotics addiction. Hotchner had never seen Reid so much in sync with another member of the team, and the personality brought out in their newest agent was pleasant as well. Allie became more and more confident, she began to laugh more, talk more. It was easy for Hotch to pair the two up when on cases because of how well they worked together. But at the same time he was becoming increasingly cautious. He worried that something more might spark between the two of them that could be the destruction of the careful balance that had been created within the team.

She was beautiful, there was no denying that. She had a lovely face and smile, steel gray eyes and light brown hair that was typically tied back, and yet still was sexy. She was beautiful in a unique way that would be perfect for Reid. She wasn't absorbed in superficial things, she liked a good conversation, and someone she could joke with and tell the truth to. What man wouldn't like a girl like that?

Knowing Reid, nothing would ever happen in this century if it were up to him. But he noticed the way he talked to her, and especially the way he looked at her; like she was the center of his world. They spent their off days together, spent their nights together. It was only a matter of time before more developed. He didn't want the team to get torn apart. Also, he just didn't want to see Allie date Reid. He couldn't explain why, but the idea to him just frustrated him and seemed like the least ideal situation. It was to be avoided at all costs.

Keeping that in mind, Agent Hotchner made sure Allie was kept especially close to him on this next case. He could use her tact and intelligence in dealing with the only lead they had, which was an address to what could possibly be an unsub's apartment. The two of them had to result to taking down the entrance by force. Only seconds after entering the apartment Hotch realized they had been set up for an ambush. Overpowered by four large men, Hotch was immediately taken down.

In a brief moment he saw Allie being dragged away and bound before he was hit on the head and lost consciousness. When he finally opened his eyes he was alone, on the apartment floor, blood flowing from his head. The four men were gone, and so was Allie. There were blood trails to be found all around the apartment, and a mess of materials to be found, but nothing pointing toward where they could have taken her. After a hazy moment of taking in his surroundings, the team suddenly stormed in to find Hotch lying there, and Allie gone. From the tone of Morgan's voice Hotch knew he was pissed. He knew Prentiss and JJ were afraid for Allie. But Reid, Reid was a mess.

Panic filled Reid's blood stream. Allie was gone. Hotch, of all people, had been taken down, and Allie was gone. His mind raced with possibilities and statistics. The likelihood that she would be found, the likelihood she would be found alive, and the likelihood that she was being sexually assaulted at this very moment. The unsub and his MO had flown out of Reid's mind and in its place was every single case Reid had ever seen before. All of the gruesome, twisted things people could think of could be happening to Allie. In a daze, Reid turned to JJ. She immediately saw the panic and worries in his eyes. "Reid…" she approached him.

"We've got to find her," Reid choked out. "We need to find her," he repeated, his voice raising.

JJ grabbed his arm and looked him straight in the eyes. "We will," she promised. "We're all on it. You just need to get your genius mind to focus. We're going to get her back, Reid, and she's going to be okay."

Reid nodded numbly. As JJ walked away he whispered quietly to himself, "She's my best friend. And I need her."


	5. Chapter 5

Hotch was kicking himself. He should have known it was a trap. He should have thought the situation through more clearly without being so concerned about relationships between team members. Then maybe he would have seen this one coming. Now, because of him, one of his agents was in danger, and he needed to save her before it was too late.

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The bass of a sound system was thumping steadily. That was the first thing Allie heard and felt as she began to regain consciousness. She felt her arms and feet were bound tightly, so tightly she could barely move. The dulcet chords of a hip-hop song began to register in her brain. Allie recognized the voice of the singer, but her head was too fuzzy and clouded to know what the lyrics were even saying. As she attempted to open her eyes a shooting pain went through her head. She groaned and felt a pain along her back as well. As she rolled slightly on it she realized it was bleeding.

Her eyelids fluttered open again and she tried to take in her surroundings. Dimly, she noticed she was laying in a living room attached to a kitchen. In the kitchen two large men sat, smoking cigarettes and playing cards, speaking in low tones Allie couldn't even hear. Her badge and gun sat on the counter. Her clothes remained on, and she felt no other pain than on her back and her head, so she assumed she had not been sexually assaulted. The actions of the two men led to imply that they were just simply bored.

Allie rolled over and closed her eyes to ease the throbbing pain in her head. She tried to focus on the music as best she could. The song began to flood through her and she mouthed along with the lyrics. "_Round and round, upside down; Livin my life underneath the ground…_"

She became more alert when she heard noises from the kitchen. The two men seemed to have realized she was now awake and approached where she lay. "Well, well…" the shorter one said. "You know this song I take it, Agent Greenwald?" he asked.

"I think so…" Allie replied, not sure why she bothered to respond to that question. She attempted to switch her brain into the right gear. "What do you want with me?" she demanded.

"We want you out of our way," the taller one growled.

"Any why take me, but leave my partner?" Allie asked.

"What? That dumbass we left on the ground to bleed to death?" the smaller one laughed. "He was a warning. But you, your face was much too pretty to leave to waste."

Allie was disgusted, and at the same time worried for Hotch. "You just screwed yourselves," she spat back. "I know you weren't the ones to commit those murders, you're just too dumb and scared to stand up to anyone. But now, you're not only an accomplice, but responsible for the assault and kidnapping of a federal agent."

"We're not too concerned," the younger one chuckled. And with that he knocked her on the head with the butt of his gun, and once again Allie lost consciousness.

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Meanwhile, the team was hard at work trying to find their abducted agent and track down the unsubs as well. Spencer was sitting in a conference room surrounded by maps, trying to get his brain to do what it was good at, what it was trained to do. His hands fidgeted nervously through his long hair, and he made at least five phone calls to Garcia for additional information. The whole time his focus faltered, his heart filled with dread.

A paramedic had arrived and bandaged up Agent Hotchner's head, but Hotch had refused further treatment, especially going to the hospital. From there Hotch, Rossi and Morgan were on the hunt, with the assistance of a swat team. JJ and Emily were out talking to wives and friends of the unsubs, getting as much information as they could.

Finally, a lead crept up. Garcia had stopped on the satellite a broken down home at the edge of town that matched an address and description given by a couple friends. JJ, Prentiss, and Reid headed out quickly to catch up to the other three and the swat team. Reid was silent in the car as Emily sped and finally squealed around a turn to the location. The team assembled outside the house. Hotch and Morgan were at the front, and Reid ran himself up to the entrance to be with them. "Reid," Morgan said, "Maybe you should move back to behind the swat team. We don't want any more agents in danger."

"No" Reid replied simply. "Now let's go."

Morgan shrugged and gave a look to Hotch, who ignored the exchange and allowed the swat team to force open the entrance before entering the house, guns blazing. They had caught the two men by surprise. They were in the middle of a meal and stood up sharply at the abrupt entrance of the agents, and thus were immediately overpowered. They barely had the opportunity to reach for their weapons and then Morgan and Reid were on top of them handcuffing them.

Hotch began searching through the house with Rossi in order to find Allie. It was when Hotch took a sharp look to his left that he noticed her limp body laying in the corner of the living room, next to the stereo. He pocketed his gun and ran right to her. Noticing the blood down her back he quickly took his coat off and tied it around her, hoping to slow down the bleeding. He then picked her up into his arms and ran out of the house, yelling for medical attention.

When Reid heard Hotch's yelling he gave the shorter man a hard punch along with a couple kicks to his stomach before running after Hotch and Allie. Once he got outside he saw her being set on a stretcher and surrounded by paramedics. "Allie! AL!" he yelled, practically tripping over his feet as he reached the ambulance. Hotch was hovering over her and Reid tried to squeeze in next to him. "Is she okay?" he demanded.

Hotch placed his hand on Allie's forehead. She groaned loudly and her eyes fluttered open, an encouraging sign. She noticed the two people next to her and gave a slight smile before again fading back into unconsciousness.

Reid had been gripping her hand tightly, and didn't want to let go as the medics began to lift her into the ambulance. Hotch began to climb into the ambulance with her. "Hotch?" Reid asked. "Let me ride with her?"

"Take care of the unsubs," he commanded. "Come to the hospital as soon as the rest is taken care of."

Reid was not convinced, and was ready to argue when Hotch interrupted him, "She'll be fine, Reid" he reassured in an exasperated voice. Reid nodded mutely in response, and watched the ambulance roll away.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Anyone else just love the way Reid talks? There's something about his voice... currently basking in the Criminal Minds marathon on A&E. Love it.**

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Allie woke in the hospital to find the familiar characters surrounding her. The first people she saw were Morgan and JJ standing in the corner of the room sharing a laugh. This made a small smile instantly creep onto her face. "Al?" she heard Reid's voice inquire from her side. She looked to her left and saw Spencer, sitting upright in a chair, and he had his concerned face on.

"Hey, you," she managed to croak out. With those words the entire room was alerted to her consciousness. Hotch was standing on her other side, and JJ, Derek, and Emily all appeared at her feet.

"Hey doll, how you feeling?" Morgan asked, giving her toes a squeeze.

Allie laughed in response, accompanied with a small cough. "I knew you'd all manage to find me. I'm just sorry I wasn't awake to see it. Did you…?"

"We found and arrested all four of them," Hotch responded. "But more importantly, how are you feeling?"

"Well," Allie replied, "I've got a bitch of a headache, and I think someone ran over my side with a pizza cutter, but other than that I'm just fine. And what about you?" she asked, referring to the large bloody bandage on Agent Hotchner's head.

"Just needed some stitches," Hotch replied.

Allie nodded and looked over at Reid, who still had his concerned face on. She gave him a smile to reassure him, and he gave a slight smile back. He resisted the urge to once again take her hand, unsure of how the team might respond to that.

Then the doctor entered into the room. "Well, Agent Greenwald, it's good to see you awake. I'm Doctor Harris."

"It's a pleasure. What's the prognosis?" Allie asked.

"We'll talk about it just a moment. I'd just like to ask the rest of you all to leave us for a few moments, to respect the patient's privacy" Dr. Harris said to the rest of the team. They all easily left except for Reid. He stood and lurked by her side.

Noticing this, Allie reached out and gave him a squeeze of the hand, along with a smile. He took that as encouragement enough to leave the room.

Behind closed doors, Dr. Harris informed Allie that she had suffered a severe concussion, along with an extensive laceration on her right side and back. It was not deep enough to require stitches, but would need bandaging and attention while it healed. Overall, the injuries were minimal, and she would be able to be released the next morning.

"Would you like me to bring your friends back in?" Dr. Harris asked once they were finished discussing.

"Sure," Allie replied. "Actually," she added, "for now just my boss. Agent Hotcher. The one with the bloody head… thanks doc."

Dr. Harris nodded and left, and Hotch reappeared at her door only a few moments later and walked her to her side. "Well?" he asked.

"Just a concussion," she said. "And a nasty gash on my back. They'll let me out of here tomorrow. So, I suppose you guys could head back tonight and I could just fly back on my own tomorrow…"

"Don't be ridiculous," Hotch replied. "The team will stay until you are released tomorrow. We could all use a night of rest."

Allie nodded; not daring to disagree with Hotchner's commanding tone. "Okay. Well… I just would like to thank you, then," she said. "For finding me so quickly. And I hope you're okay. Don't play off that head wound like it's nothing. You and I were both injured today."

"Don't, apologize," Hotch said, his voice still very authoritative. "It was my poor judgment that led you to this situation. We should have called for backup before we even forced entry into that apartment. I put you in unnecessary danger, and for that I will never forgive myself."

"It's okay, Hotch –" Allie started.

"– It's not," he replied simply. There was a long pause, and neither made eye contact. Finally Hotch added uncomfortably, "Reid was very worried about you."

Allie nodded silently. "Well," she said. "I suppose you could call the rest of the team back, if they want. But you should all just go back to the hotel and sleep, I'll be just fine."

Hotch nodded and left, and a little while later Morgan and Reid entered her room. "Ok doll," Morgan said, "everyone's headed back to the hotel, except Reid here, who's is insisting on staying with you."

Allie shook her head and looked at Reid. "You really don't have to," she said.

Reid shrugged. "I want to," he said. And with that Morgan and the rest of the team headed out and Spencer stayed with Allie through the night at the hospital. They didn't talk much. For as worried as he had been, Reid found himself unable to find words. He wanted to tell Allie how glad he was that she was okay, how scared he had been, but he never seemed to get the right opportunity. She fell fast asleep thanks to some medication, and once Reid could tell she was deep into her sleep, he pulled the blanket up around her shoulders and kissed her on the forehead before falling asleep in the chair beside her.


	7. Chapter 7

Allie slept most of the flight home, or at least kept her eyes closed; wishing the attention from everyone else would just go away. After landing, she allowed one of the younger agents to drive her home to her apartment, and once there showered all the grime of the past couple days off of her. She slipped into comfortable sweat pants and a tank top, glad for some peace and comfort.

After a nap and a few hours of watching television, Allie found herself wound up and looking for anything to do that would take her mind off of things. After washing her clothes from the day she discovered Hotch's jacket that had been wrapped around her injuries, which had been thrown in the pile of all her bloody clothes at the hospital. The blood had been easily removed. It was only 5pm, and she knew he might be busy, might be out, but Allie couldn't help but want to get the jacket back to him right away. It was like her adrenaline would not stop pumping, even though the danger was long past. It wasn't logical, but she ended up dialing Agent Hotchner on her cell phone. After only a couple of rings she heard his deep, dark voice greeting her.

"Greenwald," he said.

"Hello, sir," she responded. "I know it's late, and I know it's your time off –"

"Is everything alright?" Hotch interrupted.

Allie found the urgency and care in his voice touching. "Yeah," she replied, relaxing a little. "Sort of. I think. I just, got your coat cleaned off. And a couple things were in your pockets. I didn't know if you'd want me to bring them over now, or some other time, I guess."

"You didn't have to worry about doing that," he said.

"I know," Allie continued, "but I honestly needed to do something. Just suffering from a bit of anxiety to be honest," she admitted. "But it's not a big deal," she added, starting to realize the ramifications of over sharing with her boss. "Just being hyper-vigilant, I guess," she concluded, cursing herself internally for sounding so stupid.

Hotch was silent for a moment, but when he did speak he was kind and comforting, "It's okay, Allie," he said finally. "You can bring those things over now, I'm just cooking dinner, and I'll be here all night. But only if you feel up to it. It's been a stressful and hard couple days; you just need to take care of yourself."

"I think I just need to get out of my apartment," Allie admitted. "I'll be over in about a half hour?"

"That's just fine," Hotch answered. He quickly gave her directions to his place and then the conversation was over. As Allie hung up the phone she felt something weird. She didn't even know what it was. Rarely had she had a conversation with Agent Hotchner that wasn't professional or had something to do with a case. She just never ran close to her bosses, she usually kept the distance great between her and her superiors, out of safety and also a desire to create the best impression possible.

The same had been with Hotch for the first few months. But slight opportunities had been opening up to give Hotch and Allie a chance to talk on a more personal level. It wasn't until today's drama and danger that Allie had felt any sense of connection to her boss. But she saw how protective he was of her when she was put in such danger. Because of that she felt a little bolder to stop by his place that evening, to return his things, and at least say thank you.

As Allie knocked on the door she felt little butterflies in her stomach. _That's odd_, she thought to herself. But her stomach just felt tighter when the door was opened. Hotch was still dressed in the same clothes from the day. His white shirt was unbuttoned a few, and un-tucked from this pants. His hair was flopped over to one side and he smelled faintly of beer.

"Hi, sir," Allie said nervously to break the silence.

"Please," Aaron said, walking inside and holding the door for her, "you don't need to call me that right now."

Allie nodded mutely in response and entered the apartment. It didn't look very different from hers. A few pictures and wall hangings, things laid out in an attempt to seem organized but were messy despite the effort. But a warm, garlicky scent filled her lungs. "It smells wonderful in here," she said.

"Thanks," Hotch said. "You want some? I made more than enough for two people," he said, motioning over to the pasta and garlic bread set out on the table.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose," Allie replied. "And, here," she added, handing over Hotch's black coat and the items from his pockets.

"Thanks," Hotch said again, taking the items from her and setting them in the other room. "But please," he said, walking back into the kitchen. "Sit, have something to eat. Beer?" He asked.

A smile crept over Allie's features. "Oh, sure," she said, unable to say no to garlic bread. She hesitantly took her place in the chair which seemed unused. Hotch placed a plate, silverware, and an opened bottle of beer in front of her.

"It's nice to have someone else enjoy my food besides just me," Hotch said.

"I didn't know you were that much of a cook," Allie admitted.

Hotch chuckled, and Allie couldn't help but notice how that laugh sounded and how his features changed when he dared to smile. "I'm not, really," he replied.

"Well it tastes great," Allie said, swallowing a mouth full of pasta.

They ate mostly in silence, but the silence was not uncomfortable. It made Allie feel surprisingly better to have a decent meal in her stomach. The laceration in her side still ached, but the beer helped a little for that. Once they were both finished eating Hotch cleared the plates and offered her another drink. She immediately accepted even though her thoughts were beginning to race again, about how maybe it was possibly time to go. Before she opened the fresh beer she inquired, "Hotch, do you think that maybe I should… go?"

Hotchner looked at her in surprise. "If you want to," he said. He walked over and sat next to her again. "Are you sure you're doing ok?"

"You can stop asking, you know," Allie replied.

"Well I'm not getting a very straight answer. You seem to go from relaxed to on edge in a manner of seconds."

"Yeah," Allie admitted. "Dinner was great, though. It made me feel a lot better to have something good to eat. It's just been a rough few days."

"I know it," Hotch replied. "Well, if you'd like to leave I'd have to insist on walking you home. It's getting late, and in your state…"

Allie rolled her eyes. "I think you're being a little overprotective," Allie said playfully.

"I think I'm allowed," Hotch replied seriously, looking Allie straight in the eyes. "You scared me today," Hotch whispered to her, his eyes getting soft, moist, and his hand reaching for hers.

Allie's focus got lost in his eyes. She had scared him. _Him? _Not the team, but him? She slowly tried to bring herself back to reality but it was hard. She found herself whispering back, "Aaron…" the use of his first name shocked Allie, she didn't know where it came from.

But Hotch responded by standing, grabbing her by her shoulders and gently pulling her up towards him into a hug. "Will you just come into the living room and sit with me for a while?" He asked. "We can watch a movie, listen to some music?"

Allie nodded silently in response and let Aaron lead her into the other room and set her down softly on the couch. He found the nearest blanket and covered her with care. As he sat down next to her he grabbed her hand tenderly. With the other hand he grabbed the TV remote and searched the channels for something appropriate.

As she sank into the couch and felt the presence of Hotch beside her, Allie finally found her will slowly fading. The exhaustion crept over her body, and her mind. She wanted to be done feeling fear, anxiety. She wanted to be done considering and re-considering every action she took. At what was perhaps her most vulnerable moment, she finally gave in to that moment. It no longer mattered that Aaron was her boss. He was taking her in, making her feel safe, and that's the one thing she needed and desired at that moment.

Suddenly the familiar voice of Denzel Washington filled the room. Allie opened her tired eyes to see 'The Remember the Titans' playing on the T.V. She looked at Hotch and gave him a smile. "I like this one," she said warily. "Can we keep this on?"

Hotch rubbed her hand reassuringly in response. "We can," he replied. "Are you comfortable?" He asked.

"Mmmhmm…" she replied.

Hotch smiled. "Come here," he whispered. He pulled her body close up against his.

"You know, Hotch," Allie mumbled in her weary state, "We really shouldn't be getting close like this. But I like it anyway. I'd like to stay for a while."

"You can stay as long as you need, Al," Hotch replied. Allie looked up at him and gave a weak smile. Hotch took the opportunity to lean down, cup her face in his hands, and kiss her deeply. She responded in kind, before gently pulling away, laying her head on his chest, and falling peacefully asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

When Allie woke it took her a good couple minutes to adjust to her surroundings and remember where she was. She found herself in a large and very comfortable bed, strangely all to herself. The faint scent of cologne brought back memories of dinner with Hotch the night before, and lying comfortably in his arms in front of the T.V. And that was the last thing she remembered.

Clearly she had been brought into the bed once she was asleep. _Man_, she thought to herself, _I must really have been fast asleep_. Then the ramifications of it all started to dawn on her. She had spent the night at her boss' place.

This was something she could not tell Reid. This was something she could not tell anyone. She looked over with a small amount of panic and checked the clock. It was 10:30 a.m. Which meant Hotch took off for work hours ago (Allie had been given an indefinite amount of time off.) She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

She slipped out of bed, gladly seeing the same clothes on her body from the night before. As she crept into the kitchen she saw a white paper bag with a note beside it. 'Some bagels for you,' the note read, 'Call if you need anything – Aaron.' The use of his first name again struck a chord with Allie. Something different was going on here, and eventually there would be consequences.

She did, however, take a bagel. Then she got her stuff ready to leave. When she got to her purse and found her cell phone she realized more than one person had been trying to get a hold of her. Two missed calls from Reid, one from her brother, and, surprisingly, a text message from Hotch which read, 'Please let me know when you wake up…' Her heart started to race slightly. The only one she decided to respond to at that time was Reid's call. She dialed his number and after about four rings figured it would go to voice mail, until to her relief she heard his voice, "This is Reid."

"Hey…you," Allie stammered. "It's Allie."

Reid's tone of voice instantly softened. "Hey," he replied. "I've been trying to get a hold of you since yesterday, is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Allie replied. "I've just been, you know, sleeping. A lot."

"Well that's good," Reid said. "Are you at home right now? I could stop by on my lunch…"

"Oh, no," Allie responded quickly. "I'm…ah…out. To get a bagel."

"Okay," Reid replied. "Well as long as you are doing okay. I've been worried. Ever since the incident Hotch has been kind of crazy overprotective about you, it's weird."

"Yeah, well," Allie replied, "I think he just felt really guilty," she rationalized, glad that she was on the phone so no one could see how red her face was getting. "I'm going to let you go, though," Allie said hastily. "Just call me tonight if you feel like stopping by. But really, I'm fine."

"Ok, Reid replied. "I'll call you later." He hung up the phone but felt no better. Something was off with her. He wasn't surprised, after the week's events, but he still didn't like it.

Hotch, however, was somewhere else completely today. Rossi entered his office with a simple question on some paperwork and filing to find him staring out the window, a look on his face Rossi had never seen before.

"Hotch… Hotch? Agent Hotchner?" He asked. It was on the third repetition of his name that Hotch finally looked up. His confused eyes took a moment to focus but when he finally did he apologized for seeming so distracted.

Rossi took his apology easily enough, but wasn't afraid to question. "You really don't need to be here, you know," Rossi said bluntly. "Allie wasn't the only one injured. You could use some time off to relax and recover.

Hotch simply shrugged his shoulders. "I'm fine," he replied.

"I know you are, but seriously, just take the afternoon," Dave persuaded. "Get out of the office."

Hotch slowly absorbed the advice. If it had been any other day, he would have stayed at the office. But his focus was too far gone today, taken up by a certain blue-eyed agent, and he decided to take Rossi's advice.

He took his sweet time taking a walk home. It was overcast, but still a somewhat pleasant day. He checked his phone often for a text reply from Allie that never came. He knew a line had been crossed. It was probably better that no reply come. But that didn't stop him from checking. And it certainly didn't stop him from thinking of her and how it felt to be near her last night. For the first time in a long time he hadn't felt guilt, hadn't been lonely. He had been amazingly close to happiness.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So a resounding THANK YOU to those leaving comments :) both on this story and the other one-shot I posted. Expect more one-shots, they're fun to write.**

**This chapter is a bit shorter and more of a filler to lead into the rest of the story. Allie has a lot she needs to figure out before more of the juicy stuff can happen.**

**Reid will soon become more a prominent player in the story, and at the same time so will Hotch. Whatever my twisted mind can concoct.**

**Enjoy!**

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* * *

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It had been three full days away from the BAU for Allie. She had been forced into taking at least a week off before returning to full duty, and had spent most of that time trapped inside her own head. There were memories that needed to be forgotten. The memory of being taken hostage by those creeps, and the memory of her night Hotch, too. She was trying as hard as she could to make the feelings of Hotch and her together that night disappear. It had been spontaneous, inappropriate, and would do no good. It _needed_ to be forgotten, and never repeated again.

Luckily she had barely heard from anyone at the BAU since her brief conversation with Spencer two days earlier. Allie had tried TV shows, movies, cooking, books, anything. But with each passing day away from work she felt more and more out of sorts. This particular afternoon it was sunny and nice outside, and so she decided to take full advantage. She threw on some workout clothes, readied up her iPod with some fast-paced music, and headed out for a run.

It felt good, to be out on the sidewalks again. As her heart rate quickened she noticed how strong she felt... how quick her legs could be, how amazing it was to just be human. Her mind was able to get caught up in the music, and her body soaked up the vitamin D from the sun that day. She was practically at peace, until she made a sharp turn around a street corner and almost nailed someone to the ground.

Her headphones popped right out of her ears and she tripped, but stopped herself from completely face planting into the cement. When her brain took the moment to process she noticed the person she had run into and recognized them.

"Emily?" Allie gasped, trying to get some air.

"Allie?" Emily asked with equal surprise.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there, my fault," Allie apologized

"It's okay," Prentiss replied. "I'm surprised to see you so… active. Weren't you supposed to take these days for some rest and relaxation?"

"I guess this is just how I R & R. Where are you headed to?" Allie asked.

"Just across the street, to grab some coffee, and by coffee I do not mean that crap brewing in the office. Want to come with me?" she motioned to the joint across the street.

"Sure," Allie nodded, "I'll grab myself a bottle of water." As they walked across the street together Allie got caught up on what she had been missing the past few days.

"We miss you," Emily said. "Team's not quite the same without you, but be glad you missed the last case. It was gruesome," she shook her head. "At least it was short; we weren't even in Buffalo 48 hours."

The two continued to chat about the happenings of the BAU over the past couple days, as well as how Allie was feeling, which was "not bad at all," she said. "Physically, at least," she added. "I just will feel much better once I can get back to work."

"Well," Prentiss said. "We're looking forward to having you back. You should really give Reid a call, he's been so moody lately. Absolutely no fun at all."

"Why's that?" Allie inquired.

"Well, because you're gone, of course," Emily added easily, taking a sip of her coffee. Then she noticed Allie's reaction, which was a slightly confused face. "Al," she said. "You do… _know_, right?"

"Know… what?" she asked, becoming very confused.

"You mean," Emily continued, "That you haven't noticed? Really? I mean… really?"

"What haven't I noticed?" Allie asked, clearly frustrated.

Prentiss hesitated. "I don't know if I should be the one to say this…"

"Oh please, just tell me," Allie insisted. "I don't want to be completely clueless here."

Emily thought about it for a second, and then decided to get on with it. "Well," she said. "Reid, well, he loves you Allie. He's _in love _with you. Not like he would ever say it. But it's so obvious. He's happy when you're around, sad when you're not. And he _always_ has his eye on you."

"We're… friends…" Allie said, processing. "Good friends."

"Yeah, good friends," Emily agreed. "The kind of good friends where one is madly in love with the other and is too scared to say anything out of fear. It's there, Greenwald. Written right on his face. And not that we don't love you, but we love Reid. So when you figure out what your deal is, be gentle."

Allie just sat there with a stupid, dumbfounded look on her face. She was thinking back to all her moments with him. The shared laughs, the philosophical talks late at night. And him, gently placing his hand on top of hers on that one flight home. It had felt so natural that Allie had barely noticed. But she should have, because it meant something.

"Yeah," Allie finally said. "Okay. Well, I think I need to go home and… think."

"I just rocked your world, didn't I?" Prentiss asked.

"A little," Allie admitted with a laugh. "But it's a good thing. Thank you," she added sincerely. She stood, left, and walked slowly home. Her mind now had new information to process, and her heart had new emotions to understand.

* * *

**A/N: I felt like Prentiss was the perfect person for this conversation. I could just hear her voice in my head as I was writing her comments...**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Chapter 10! Ta Daaa!**

* * *

Later that night Allie found herself back at her apartment, with nothing but thoughts to hound her. After finishing her plethora of Chinese Food that had been delivered, and doing the dishes, she heard a soft knock at her door. She opened it to find the one and only Spencer Reid, in his usual dress pants, dress shirt, and sweater. In his hand was a modest bouquet of flowers.

"Oh good," Reid said, sounding relieved, "I'm glad you're home. You're not busy, are you?"

"No," Allie replied, and looked at the flowers suspiciously. "For me?" she inquired.

Reid held them out to her. "To help you feel better," he said.

_Damn, _Allie thought to herself. _Emily was right._ She then accepted them and said "Thanks," letting Spencer in to her apartment that was finally clean. "Can I get you something to drink?" she offered as she searched for a vase for the flowers.

"No," Reid replied. "I'm good." He approached Allie as she filled the vase with water and set the flowers on her counter.

"They're very nice," she said to Reid, admiring the flowers.

He just shrugged in reply. "But how are you?" he asked, as she turned to face him.

"As I've told you, and everyone, I'm fine," Allie replied.

Reid reached out to her and pulled her in for an embrace. Allie accepted the hug, sliding awkwardly into his arms. Whispering into her ear, Reid told her, "I was so worried about you. I just want you to know… what you mean to me…"

Allie pulled away gently. "I know," she said.

Reid looked down at his hands nervously. "Do you?" he questioned.

"Well…" Allie stammered nervously, "I think so."

Spencer decided to drop the subject and began to wander into the living room and asked Allie, "Read anything good lately?"

"Oh!" Allie explained. "I meant to show you. I was out at this half-price bookstore right before the last case, and I found the most interesting book…" she ran off into her room to find it. While she was in there Reid approached the stereo with Allie's iPod in it.

"Music?" he called out loudly to her.

"Sure!" She replied, walking back into the living room.

Reid began to fiddle with the playlist. He didn't know what really was on it, and he didn't know much about contemporary music artists anyway. He decided to just put it on shuffle and let Allie make the decisions. The first tune that came on had begun with a steady hip-hop beat. "_Round and round, upside down; Livin my life underneath the ground…_" When Reid turned around, he saw Allie's face had gone pale, and the book slipped from her hands. "What's wrong?" he asked, walking up to her.

"Atmosphere," she said vaguely.

"The gaseous envelope surrounding the earth?" Reid asked, confused. "What about it?"

Allie shook off her trance slightly. "This song," she said. "It was the one they played at the house. Where I was taken to. And the band, it's Atmosphere. It was Slug's voice I was hearing." The feeling of being bound and bleeding came back into Allie's mind. She remembered the splitting headache, and mouthing along with the lyrics. One of her favorite groups, based out of her home state, and now the song just made her sick. She felt Reid's arm wrap gently around her shoulders, and he led her to sit down on the couch. "It's okay," she said. "It's just the song."

"Well," Reid said, "music has been found to affect and stimulate parts of the brain that help store and recall information. So, it's understandable that you would be having this experience."

He received a smile back from Allie. "Thanks for the fact, doctor," she joked.

"Sorry," Reid said.

Allie just shook her head. "It's okay," she said. She then stood up and went to turn the stereo off. "I just guess music probably wasn't the best choice." She then went to grab the book and handed it to Reid and told him, "This is what I meant to show you…"

They spent the rest of the evening conversing on pretty much any topic besides the incident, or the relationship between the two of them. Towards the end of the night it was Reid who did most of the talking, and Allie began to fade away into sleep. She was awake enough to add an "Mmmhmm," and "Yeah," here and there. Eventually Reid noticed her lack of consciousness.

"I think I'm losing you," Reid said.

"Mmmhmm," Allie replied.

Reid laughed. He poked her on the arm. "Al? Al? I think it's time I get you into your bed." She awoke and shook her head. "I can do it," she said defensively. She got up and trudged toward the bedroom, and emerged in a plain white shirt and plaid pajama bottoms, and sat back down on the couch next to Reid. A silence ensued.

"It's late," she said wearily. "Stay here." Allie herself wasn't sure why she asked this, but she knew there were some things left to be said and understood between her and Spencer. And she knew she didn't want to be left alone that night.

"I guess I can just set myself up on the couch…" Reid trailed off.

"Yeah," Allie said softly. "I just don't want to be alone tonight. I'm sorry. I just…"

"You don't have to explain," Reid interrupted. Allie went into her room to grab a spare blanket and pillow which she gave him. She again sat down on the couch next to him, desperately wanting to say something, but not at all sure of what she needed or wanted to say. "Go to bed," Reid said, patting Allie on the leg, "I'll be here."

Allie returned to her bedroom, haunted by the song she couldn't get out of her head, and the feelings she couldn't decipher.

* * *

Startled, Spencer woke up at 3:30a.m., hearing desperate shouts coming from the other room.

"Untie me," Allie was yelling, over and over, twitching and struggling in her sleep.

Reid stood up and ran into the bedroom, grabbing a hold of Allie's shoulder to stop her from moving. She fought with him a little, but once he repeated her names a few times she awoke from the dream she was having. Her breathing was irregular and fast.

Once her eyes focused on Reid and she began to calm down. "I'm sorry," she breathed. "So sorry."

"Shhh…" Reid soothed, pushing her hair back out of her face and pulling her into his arms. "Just a dream," he said, lying back with her in his arms. Fifteen minutes later they were back asleep.

* * *

Four hours later the sun was beginning to shine into the bedroom, and Allie woke up silently, finding herself resting on Spencer. She poked him to wake him up. "Hey," she whispered.

His eyes fluttered and he squinted in the sunshine. "Hey," he said groggily back. "Those dreams go away?" he asked.

Allie nodded. "Thanks," she said.

Reid looked down at her fondly, "don't mention it," he said. With that he gave her a kiss on the top of the head.

Allie looked up at him, pulling herself out of his embrace. "Spencer?" she asked, her tone getting serious. "Things are changing, aren't they? Between you and me?"

After a moment Reid simply nodded. "Yeah," he said uncomfortably. Then, they both began to speak at the same time. "I have something –" Allie started while Reid said, "Listen." Both blushed, and Allie, in her nervous state, began to insist that Reid go first.

"Okay," Reid said. "Well, there are just things I think are important for you to know. I'm not usually very good at being in touch with… emotions, really. I don't know if you know, but a few years back with the BAU during a cased I was taken, and I was forced to take –"

"- I know," Allie interrupted softly.

"Yeah," Reid continued nervously, not keeping eye contact. "Well, when I feel into the spiral of my addiction to that stuff, I lost a lot. I lost the trust of my colleagues. I no longer really cared about what I was doing, and I didn't even care about myself. I was angry about the fact that everyone was profiling me, talking about me. I guess, what it came down to, was that I felt like I had nothing. When I went through recovery, things got better. But I still felt this emptiness, this darkness. But the day you started to come into my life is the day all of that changed." With that statement Reid finally had the courage to look up and see Allie in the eye. "With you, I have someone I can trust, say anything to. You're more than just someone I work with; you're like… my other half. And the term 'friend' works, but I don't think it really sums up how I feel about you. Because I feel a lot of things, and a lot of them are beyond just being friends."

With that he reached out and took Allie's hands in his. She shyly kept eye contact away from his. "Spencer…" she said. Reid silenced her by leaning forward and softly planting his lips on hers. It was a soft, loving kiss that lasted but a moment. After that Allie rose and got out of the bed and began to pace around the room. "There's something," she said. "that I need to tell you. And I don't know if I should tell you. I don't know…"

Reid was instantly filled with fear and dread. "Oh," he said in a deflated voice. "It's okay," he mumbled, "I should probably go," he added in a practically inaudible voice.

"What?" Allie asked sharply. "No," she added. "Just. Bear with me for a sec. Because I barely know what's going on with my life right now. But something happened a couple days ago…"


	11. Chapter 11

_I shouldn't be doing this_, Allie thought to herself as the words started pouring out. _This is only going to ruin me and hurt him_. But as many have experienced, Allie's thoughts were not directly connected to the words she was saying. Everything she had been bearing on her chest the past few days spilled out without a filter.

"The night I came home from being taken and tied up and all that," she began to explain, "something weird happened. I mean, I guess it was weird. It seemed weird. But anyways, I had Hotch's jacket. And it was all bloody and stuff and so I cleaned it off. And I was so riled up and the adrenaline was pumping so high I just had the feeling that I had to _do_ something, you know?"

"…Ok," Reid interjected, not understanding where this was leading.

"Anyway," she went on, "I brought it back to him. To Hotch. And well, he invited me in, just to see how I was doing, and I don't know how this happened, Reid, but I spent the night there."

"You spent the night there," Reid repeated.

"Yeah. I mean I woke up the next morning, and there I was, at Hotch's apartment." Allie said.

"So," Reid said, now standing up as well and beginning to pace on the other side of the bed. "You slept with him?" He turned and looked at Allie accusingly.

"No!" Allie cried. "Well, technically, yes. I mean, I slept with him, but I didn't _sleep_ with him."

"I may be a genius but you're going to have to spell that one out for me," Reid responded bitterly.

"We were just sitting on the couch," Allie attempted to explain, terrified. "We were there, I feel asleep, and when I woke up I was in his bed, and he was gone. But nothing happened, nothing at all like you might be thinking."

"Nothing," Reid repeated. "Nothing at all. You just slept on our boss's couch and then next to him in his bed."

It sounded so much worse when Reid repeated it like that.

"You didn't have any other kind of… interaction?" He asked, praying that she would say they hadn't.

"No," Allie said. Reid breathed a slight sigh of relief until Allie added an "Except..."

"Except?" He asked fearfully.

"Well," she said, "I guess he kissed me."

"_He_ kissed _you_?" Reid asked, now clearly getting heated.

"We kissed each other," Allie said in a small voice. With that statement Reid immediately left the room. Allie ran out after him. "Please, Reid, try to understand. I don't know why it happened. I know how horrible and inappropriate it was. I was just, in a really dark place and really vulnerable and needed someone."

"Yeah," Reid said, picking up his belongings, and his voice now extremely quiet. "You needed someone, and you called Hotch. Never mind the fact that I was worried sick over you. That night, I would have done anything for you to make you feel better. But, it happened. I need to go."

Allie continued to follow him, all the way to the door. "Please, Spencer," she begged him. "Don't go. I have so much more to say."

"I can't hear any more of it," he responded, not making eye contact. "Don't worry," he continued. "I won't say anything about this to anyone. So don't worry about your job. And… I hope you're happy." That very last statement almost sounded sincere, but it also sounded extremely sad.

And then the door was shut in Allie's face.

Paralyzed by sadness, Allie grabbed her cell phone and returned to her room. She thought for a long time about pathetically calling Spencer and begging for him to come back and forgive her. Then she thought about one of her old high-school friends she still talked to that always used to talk her down out of a crisis. But when she opened the phone there was one text message there, from Hotcher. '_Making pasta tonight,'_ it read. '_I'm thinking of you_ _– Aaron_.' With that Allie chucked her phone across the room, heard it smash into the wall, and didn't move out of her bed for the rest of the night.


	12. Chapter 12

Allie sat her weary feet up on the seat across from her on the plane home from Albuquerque. Her first case since being back hadn't been anything like they were before. Hotch barely looked at her, and when he did the emotions that stirred within her only confused Allie more. Reid's thoughts were now a mystery to her, and he barely made the time for her anymore. Her best friend was gone. And so she sat and stared out the plane's window, feeling very much alone. Her thoughts raced over all the events of the past months. Coming to the BAU, finding her new place within the FBI... and then going on to ruin her integrity and her friendships.

That evening they all arrived back at the BAU. Although it was dusk, everyone was still at work, dealing with paperwork and various tasks. Allie sat staring at the same page for practically an hour, with no progress. As she watched the time tick down on her clock, she slowly built up with feelings of anger and hurt. She suddenly rose and headed straight for Agent Hotchner's office.

Allie entered and asked, "Sir, a word, if you have the time?" With that she turned and shut the door.

A startled Hotch looked up. "Al? What's up?" He stood and started to walk towards her.

She held her hand up. "Stop," she commanded, before he got any closer. "My name is Agent Greenwald. And four months ago," she started to explain, "I came to the BAU to save lives, and help put nasty people in their place. Over these past few weeks, I've become distracted from that purpose. I've let emotions come first. I've… forgotten what I started fighting for. I promise you those actions are done with. From now on, I work for you. And that is the extent of our relationship. From now on I am simply the Agent you hired. Sir." And with that, she left his office. And swore to herself she would start living her life differently.

After grabbing her things, while making her way out of the office, she passed Spencer's desk, and said, "Have a good evening, Dr. Reid," in the most professional voice she could muster. He looked up, his face twisted with confusion. But Allie did not see his expression, for she was already out the door and down the elevator.

Despite her decisive actions, the night that followed was hell for Allie. Upon returning home to her apartment, she broke down into a fit of tears that lasted hours. Her thoughts flashed to Hotch's startled and confused face in the office, and then the image of the back of Reid's head, the only thing she saw of him the entire flight home. She recalled his confession of his feelings for her, and how she ruined the moment completely. Guilt washed over her, sadness washed over her, loneliness washed over her. The thoughts tormented her for the entire night, not ceasing until exhaustion finally took her around 5:30 in the morning. Not even 3 hours later, her alarm waked her from the brief slumber she had, and it was time for her to return to what was now her hell.

* * *

Allie arrived at the BAU early. She put her things at her desk and once she saw Hotch and JJ arrive she felt a piercing pain. Her stomach was uneasy and she had an unbearable need to escape. And so she went to the only other part of the BAU that she would feel welcome.

"My dear!" Penelope Garcia cried out in joy, as Allie entered her large command center. "What brings you to my humble abode?"

Garcia's contently perky personality put a smile on Allie's face, despite her terrible mood. "Oh, I don't know," Allie said, "just wanted to come by and see how our better half lives."

"Oh, how you flatter," Garcia said, glowing. "Now, seriously. What's up with your girl? I haven't seen you since before that case you scared the living daylights out of all of us."

Allie gave a heavy sigh and leaned against her desk to get a little more comfortable. "I'm okay," she said simply, but Penelope noticed the dismal undertones. She also noticed the dark marks under her eyes and the way her brown hair was just dragged up on her head.

"I hope you didn't come here to lie to me, missy," Garcia pointed out.

"I didn't," Allie replied apologetically. "I just… needed to get away from everyone. I've got some troubles and I thought a little visit with you might cheer me up."

"Well I can't blame you for thinking that," Garcia replied with a wink. "But you can't expect me to let mention of your 'troubles' slide. I am all about solving issues. Is it work problems? Big decision ahead? …Men?" It was with the mention of the last one that Allie looked up from the feather pen she had been playing with. "Of course," Garcia practically sang. "The root of any lady's problem is usually a man. So spill." She rolled her chair around so the two were facing each other head on.

Allie gave a little laugh and avoided eye contact slightly. "I don't know how to describe it," she said anxiously, continuing to play with the feather pen. "And I can't tell you the particulars. Let's just say I think I screwed everything up with not only one, but two guys. Now I've alienated myself from a person that is… very important to me. All because I couldn't figure out what I wanted or make a damn decision.

"Well," Penelope began, "I do have a few things to say on this topic. With that Garcia leaned back in her chair. "You know that whole listen to your heart stuff?" She asked. "Total crap. Hormones do funny things to us and our emotions are nothing but unstable. Listen to your goddamn head. It knows what's up. Don't over-think, but look at the facts. You know what's right. You know what you want. Just stop doubting and questioning yourself and go for it. Everything a man could ever want in someone you've got, girlie."

A smile crept over Allie's face and she nodded in agreement. "Well, thanks Garcia," she said, leaning over for a hug.

"Anytime, hun," she replied. "Girls night soon," she added with a wink.

Allie turned and started to walk toward the door. Just as she was reaching for the door handle, she heard Garcia speak again.

Now turned away and facing her computer, Garcia said, "Oh, by the way, I was on my way out of the office the other day and Dr. Reid was asking me for advice on flowers," Garcia said. "He has such a sweet heart. Handsome, too. He deserves a nice girl," she added.

"Yeah," Allie replied slowly. "Thanks again," she said, now finally exiting the room and closing the door behind her.


	13. Chapter 13

It was going to be a night out for the team. After a particularly hard case, everyone was in need of some time to cool down and unwind. Morgan and Prentiss had arranged it, a team outing to the local bar, and then they proceeded to berate and coerce every member of the team until they agreed to come. Allie knew JJ, Rossi, Garcia, Emily, and Derek would all be there. She was pretty sure she heard them convincing Reid to come as well.

From there a plan began to formulate in Allie's head. She managed to hold out and give Derek and Emily a vague 'maybe' answer. She figured if Reid thought she wouldn't be coming then he might be more likely to come.

Then, immediately following work, she went right home to her apartment. She searched her closet up and down for the right thing. After a few outfits that missed the mark, she finally landed it: a maroon strapless dress that was just casual enough, but also nice enough to make her look better than usual. Allie took her careful time showering, blow drying, and then curling her hair and bobby pinning it to perfection. It looked so different when she actually took the time to do something with it. After a little more primping, she even admitted to herself that she looked good. Hopefully good enough for Reid to forgive her.

* * *

When she arrived on scene at the bar, she got 'oohs' and 'aahs' over her look, but not from the one person she had wanted to see. Reid was nowhere to be found. When Allie asked about him Prentiss replied, "Yeah, he was here, but left pretty quickly."

"He left after fifteen minutes," Morgan added a little bitterly. "Well, whatever, we tried."

Allie nodded, suddenly very disappointed, but still took a seat in an empty chair next to another that seemed to be empty as well, but had a coat upon it. It wasn't until she saw him exiting the bathroom that she realized who's it was.

"Allie," Hotch said as he approached the table. "It's good to see you here," he added. "You look…um,"

"She looks hot!" JJ cued in, and the entire table laughed.

Blushing in response, Allie admitted shyly, "Maybe I overdid it…"

"Not at all," Emily cut it. "I wish I had decided to dress as hot as you." As an attractive blonde man passed the table and had eyes only for Allie Emily added, "I'm kind of jealous..."

As the night wore on, Allie began to feel slightly more relaxed. It didn't seem too weird having Hotch there, at least at first. Later on, Rossi left, and JJ had decided to be Emily's wingman as she tried to talk up a handsome-looking businessman there with a friend. Then Morgan got Garcia to go out on the dance floor with him, which left Allie and Hotch sitting uncomfortably alone at the table together. Allie took a giant gulp of her beer for courage.

Hotch leaned over and said quietly in her ear, "Can I have a word with you? Outside, maybe?"

Allie agreed and the two headed outside the bar and found a bench near a bus stop to sit at. Once they were both sitting for a second Hotch began to speak. "Listen," he said. "I understand why you said what you did the other day. I just wish you would have given me the chance to speak, too."

Allie nodded. "I know I was a bit unfair. I was being very unreasonable."

"I don't blame you," Hotch said softly. "What happened between us… shouldn't have happened. But, it did. As much as we would both like to pretend it never happened, I think that's impossible. I don't know about you, but I had feelings that night that don't just disappear."

"What are you getting at, sir?" Allie asked.

"I understand why you said what you said to me the other day," he said. "But, Allie, you will never be simply another Agent to me. You will always be special. But I also know how out of line I was. And… for us to be together, would mean one of us would have to leave the BAU. I don't want that for you. But if you asked me to –"

"I don't want that for you either." Allie interrupted. "And in all honesty, I know you wouldn't really be able to do that. Besides, this team needs you."

Hotch nodded. "Then nothing more will be able to come of this," he said sadly. "I owe you an apology, Allie. In caring for you I made your life exceedingly difficult. And in the process I think I may have done injury to another one of my Agents. One who also cares for you very much."

Allie looked down at her hands and felt tears forming in the back of her throat. She hated thinking of the pain she had inflicted on Reid. Someone who had only shown her love and kindness.

"If I'm not mistaken," Hotch added, "You feel the very same way for him." Then Hotch took her hands and held them in his. She looked up and he looked her straight in the eye. "Go to him," he said. "Make it right."

A tear finally escaped down Allie's cheek. "I think it's too late," she cried.

"It's not," Hotch promised. He stood up and pulled Allie up with him. "You," he said, "Look gorgeous. Go to Reid, tell him how you feel, and ask his forgiveness. There is no way he will be able to deny you. No way." With that, Hotch walked up the sidewalk and hailed a taxi. He put his arm around Allie's waist and guided her into the taxi. She got in, and with one last glance Allie looked up at Hotch in the second before he shut the door for her.

In that second, he was smiling at her, a rare Aaron Hotchner smile. She barely had time to smile back when the door was shut and the taxi driver asked her, "Where to?"


	14. Author's Note

**Quick Author's Note before the story concludes:**

**First, thank you all for reading and commenting! This is my first lengthy fanfic, and I really enjoyed writing it. The comments made it all the more enjoyable, knowing there were people actually waiting to see what was going to happen next :)**

**I don't know exactly why I put my character in a Hotch/Reid dilemma, but it's probably because I love both those characters so much, but for very different reasons.**

**Sue1313: I tried not to make Hotch the bad guy too much, but I agree that he did make some poor decisions. What I was trying to get at with his character is that he is clearly unhappy. I wanted Allie to remind him of the happiness he could have. Of course, in the end, as is Hotch, he does have to do what is best for the team and his position, and so he lets his feelings go. At the same time he still wants her to be happy, so he makes sure she goes to Reid.**

**As for Reid, well he is endearingly quirky, and I wanted him to be able to find someone that he was comfortable with and that understood and loved him for who he is. That's what I hoped Allie would become for him.**

**Tokala: Expect more Hotch! I am in fact thinking a Hotch/Allie AU, or possibly a Hotch/OC. I've become quite attached to Allie, though, so I'll probably be writing more for her. Until I can get that next longer story on the way, expect one-shots :)**

**Also, check me out at fictionpress under /~mrouser. I've got a longer story (not Criminal Minds, obviously) in progress that I have posted on there, if you have any interest.**

**Soon to follow, faithful readers and reviewers, the conclusion…**


	15. Chapter 14

Allie's heart was pounding so loud she swore it would be heard by anyone passing by. She stood outside the door to Reid's duplex, food and John Coltrane CD clutched in her hand. Throughout her taxi ride to the store, and then the ride here, she had been pouring over the exact words to say, how to act, wondering if he would even listen to her at all. After pacing for at least five minutes along the sidewalk, Allie began to realize that her behavior might seem a little bit suspicious to someone, and so she decided to walk up to the door. She took in a very deep breath and then made a fist and did three solid knocks on the door.

Her ears were perked, trying to hear any sound of footsteps, movement, or evidence of his existence. What she heard was… nothing. She poised her hand to knock one more time when it opened suddenly. There Reid stood, in the flesh, same as he always looked. His long hair fell in its usual place, and he had clearly not changed clothes since leaving work. "Allie," he said, surprised. "Um, wow, you look… fancy."

"Oh," Allie replied, looking down self-consciously at her dress, remembering her curled hair. "God, sorry. I just…" she mumbled, her face turning red.

"What?" Reid asked, not able to make any sense of her mumbling.

Allie took a deep breath of courage and looked up, locking her eyes on Reid. "I came here to beg your forgiveness," she said more clearly. "So, right now, you have two choices. You can either slam the door in my face, or invite me in."

"…Is there any other option?" Reid asked, joking slightly, but also serious at the same time.

"No," Allie replied. She lifted the fast food and bag with the CD in it. "Peace offering?" she asked.

"What does this peace offering entail?" he asked, sniffing curiously.

"Tacos and John Coltrane," Allie responded, glad that he seemed curious. "It's the only album of his you don't have. You probably didn't know that, but I did."

Spencer knew she was right. When he had once mentioned that he rather liked jazz music, Allie had taken it upon herself to guide him to every important album and artist there was. Jazz was one of the only things able to ground him during a case. Reid held the door open and let her enter. He accepted her peace offering and set it on the counter. He did not move any further past the counter, however, causing them both to stand uncomfortably in the entryway.

After a moment of awkward silence, Allie decided to begin. "I rode a taxi here," she explained. "And the entire time, I was trying to think of the perfect thing to say. Something that could convince your brilliant mind to understand my stupid actions, or at least forgive them. But I don't know how to do that. I just want you to know how terribly sorry I am."

"You don't have to be sorry," Reid interrupted.

"I'm pretty sure I do," Allie replied.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Al. At least by me. I had feelings for you, the fact that you didn't reciprocate them doesn't mean you did anything wrong. You were just acting by what you wanted. I know what rejection is. You don't have to spell it out for me, and you don't have to feel bad."

Allie was shocked by his statement. "You're wrong!" she cried. "I should be sorry. Because I was so… so… _stupid_ to not realize what was going on. I never meant to reject you," she pleaded, stepping closer to him, daring to reach out and place her hands on his chest. "I just screwed up. I didn't see what was right in front of my face and I put myself in a situation that resulted in a terrible mistake."

Reid looked uncomfortably down at her. "It's okay," he said kindly, even tenderly. "Hotch has the whole… authority thing going on I guess," he added, awkwardly trying to joke.

Shaking her head in response, Allie corrected Reid, "He's just my boss. I promise. We… talked about it. He's the one that encouraged me to come here just now."

"He did?" Reid asked, questioning.

Allie nodded, tears starting to form behind her eyes. "Yeah. He could see how I feel about you. Hell, the whole team can see it. You and me, we're… two peas in a pod, or something horribly cliché like that," she laughed and sniffed at the same time. "You're… my other half," she said softly. "And, you know, the term 'friend' _works_, but I don't think it really sums up how I feel about you. Because, Dr. Spencer Reid, I love you."

And she didn't let another word be spoken. She lifted herself on her toes, closed her eyes, and placed the gentlest kiss possible on his lips. When she opened her eyes and got a glimpse of his face, he looked like a little kid on Christmas morning. His smile was spread across his entire face, and he wrapped his slender fingers around her neck, pulling her back up to him. He now kissed with passion, fervor, and desire. It started out awkwardly, but they quickly got a feel for each other as their lips moved together in slower, deeper movements. "By the way," Reid interrupted, pulling away momentarily. "When I said you looked fancy. I think I meant… you look beautiful."

Allie blushed. "Stop talking, doctor," she said, "there's something else you're pretty good at."

* * *

**The End :)**


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